Government-Run Health Care Reform: Democratic Pro & Con

Kristen Day: "Pro-Life Democrats Praise House For Passage Of Health Care Reform"

The head of Democrats for Life of America, in a statement emailed to Booker Rising: "The House of Representatives answered the call of history [last night] when they passed health care reform. While it would be tempting to call this a Democratic win, the truth is the American people are the winners of this hard fought victory. That's why Democrats For Life of America applauds Speaker Nancy Pelosi for agreeing to clear the way for the passage of this historic legislation. But we would be remiss if we didn't thank Congressmen Bart Stupak, Brad Ellsworth and other Members for their heroic efforts to fight for the amendment that removed taxpayer-funded abortions from the final bill. Democrats proved [last night] that we are a big tent party that can put our differences aside to help the American people. Republicans can't make that claim. That's why we stand ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Democratic majority to expand the big tent so that we can fulfill President Obama's challenge to make America a place where anything is possible. Moving forward, we encourage the Senate to see how quickly they can pass their version of the Public Option when we put health care reform before ideological fights like abortion. We stand willing to work side-by-side with the Senate leadership to craft and promote the bill if taxpayer-funded abortions is removed from their bill."

Kaligula: "House Passes Health Care Bill"

The libertarian Democratic blogger opines: "Near the stroke of midnight on a Saturday night, the house passed H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act by a final tally of 220 to 215. The Stupak Amendment, which would prohibit the use of any federal funding of abortion under the 'public option' and subsidies to purchase a health insurance policy that covers abortion, also passed. Too bad no one was awake to experience this 'great moment in history.' Of course, from my perspective, I only reminded of Anthony De Jasay's Against Politics."

More: "While the US health care system is fundamentally flawed, it is precisely flawed because there is such a thing a 'US health Care system' to begin with. Implementing central planning boards, mandates, and public insurance as a "solution" to the current government-sponsored/enforced system isn't going to address the real issue, which is 'affordability of health insurance or health care.' The real title of this health Care bill should have been, 'Statistically Increasing the Universality of Health Insurance Coverage at the Expense of Increasing Prices for Everyone.' This was the exact outcome of MittCare, and will be the exact same outcome of this bill, which is largely just MittCare redux. The idea that Nancy Pelosi's political interest group wheeling and dealing to forge a 2000 page central planning/public choice masterpiece is going to overcome bedrock libertarian principles such as the 'Knowledge Problem' is an obscene joke. Frankly, watching progressives 'cave in' on the Stupak Amendment [preventing taxpayer-funded abortions] only portends what is to come if this thing actually becomes law and passes a challenge to the Supreme court. Washington isn't Boston. Be careful what you wish for..."